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Not that I wouldn’t mind if the prick took an angel blood-tipped bolt between the eyes, but right now, he is providing us with a chance to escape.
In my arms, Lily whimpers. Her eyes flutter open briefly. “Don’t…” she whispers, but as I lean closer, she slips off again.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Levi says to the other demon, his voice almost singsong.
I look up from Lily. Things have gotten bad. Freddie has disarmed Levi and holds the ax up to his neck.
He grins as he drags the tip over Levi’s bare skin, raising a trail of blood that burns a fiery red. “Oh yes? And why not?”
Levi lifts his arm, rolling up the sleeve of his designer shirt to reveal a tattoo of a serpent coiling around his arm. The serpent glows red briefly before fading back into Levi’s skin.
Freddie’s eyes bug out of his head. “You’re not.”
“I am.” Levi nods toward Lily in my arms. “She is.”
Freddie lets out a stream of words in a language I don’t understand that can only be curses. To my surprise, he steps back and drops the ax.
“The other three don’t belong toher,” Freddie spits out. “You know the rules. I can collect as many souls as I see fit until I am paid. If you and your princess want to walk out of here, they’re my price.”
“Deal,” Levi says instantly. “Eldest Bellua, give her to me. You and your brothers’ lives are forfeit.”
Jackson looks at me, his eyes wide with panic. He has no idea what the fuck to do now. He wants me to come up with the plan, the way I always do.
Well, I have no plan to get out of this. That demon is going to take our souls and then keep taking souls from this hotel until the owner comes back to clear his debt—
“I know you’ll appreciate the chance to die on the job, as your parents did,” Levi finishes, with a meaningful look.
Wait a minute. Back up the fucking demon train. What did he just say?
“Give her up to my friend here, Bellua.” Freddie snaps his fingers. “Chop, chop. I’m a busy demon. Places to go, souls to take. You’re a little early for my next ultimatum, but that’s fine. I can work with that. After you, I count down to six days, then six hours, and then six minutes, and this hotel will turn into a bloodbath.”
“Brooks.” Jackson’s voice wavers.
And suddenly, I know exactly what I have to do.
I place the still-sleeping Lily on the bed, though the second her back hits the mattress, she begins to rouse.
Then I step out of the demon circle.
“You take souls in exchange for the hotel owner’s debt not being paid? Well, I hereby take on the owner’s debt.” I lock eyes with the demon so I don’t have to look at anyone else. Especially not Lily. “The others go free, and you can have my soul, and the debt is cleared.”
32
THIRTY-TWO: LILY
“Brooks, no!”
I don’t know if I say the words or only think them. Becka’s drugs have done a number on me. All the commotion in the room is keeping me conscious (barely), but my body and my lips don’t work. All I can do is lie here, immobile, and watch as Brooks moves toward Freddie to make a bargain for his soul.
He can’t do this.
But I can see on his face that he’s determined. He’s the same Brooks I’ve loved my whole life, the big brother, the protector. I’ve always known that he’d give up everything to look after his brothers and me. But I never thought he’d have to give up his soul.
“Do we have a deal?” Brooks offers Freddie his hand.
“Don’t be a fool, Brooks!” Jackson cries. “We’ll find another way. We always do.”
“Not this time.” Brooks won’t turn around. He extends his hand, palm facing Freddie.
